Method for regulating the rate of feed of a milling machine or other machine tool having a plurality of driving motors



May 4, 1937. DQRAN 2,079,004 METHOD FOR REGULATING THE RATE OF FEED OF A MILLING MACHINE OR OTHER MACHINE TOOL HAVING A PLURALITY 0F DRIVING MOTORS Filed April 10, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

May 4, 1937. J E DORAN METHOD FOR REGULATING THE RA'IE OF FEED OF A MILLING MACHINE OR OTHER MACHINE TOOL HAVING A PLURALITY OF DRIVING MOTORS Filed April 10, 1955 AMMETER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 4, 1937 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD FOR REGULATING THE RATE OF FEED OF A MILLING MACHINE OR OTHER MACHINE TOOL HAVING A PLURALITY OF DRIVING MOTORS John E. Doran, Cincinnati, Ohio Application April 10, 1935, Serial No. 15,624

9 Claims. (Cl. 172239) This invention is a further development of my comes energized. A single contactor for dimincopending application, Number 6,715, filed Febishing the speed of the feed motor is connected ruary 15th, 1935. to all of the corresponding instrument contacts,

My invention, while of general application, is so that if any of them is touched because the particularly applicable to a planer type milling power taken by the motor is too great, the feed machine, or to other machines where cutters are will be reduced. driven by two or more motors and where the This enables the operator to adjust the confeed is driven by a separate variable speed motacts of each instrument at the proper power tor. Throughout the remainder of this discloange for its associated motor for the most 10 sure, the invention will be described in that form fragile cutter driven by its motor, and then the 10 adapted for application to planer type milling feed motor will operate automatically at that machines. speed which is proper for the spindle motor or The principal advantage of my invention is cutter which is carrying the greatest proportional that with a number of cutters at work, each cutload. When a f e Cutter is Cutting, it will tel or gang of cutters being driven by a sepadetermine the maximum rate of feed, but if this 15 rate motor, the feed can be maintained at that cutter does not happen to be Cutting, some more rate which will not overload any of the motors, ru ged cu r. or one f the rs rry n h and which will not put too heavy a duty upon any largest percent of its rated load, will determine of the cutters. In case the feed is less than the rate of feed- Thus. the machine Will that proper for the work being done by the cut- Ways be caused to operate at the highest rate of 20 ter or the motor which is least able to withstand ed w ch is su for the Conditions under the load, the feed will be speeded up until the which it is Operating at the momentmaximum load which canv be absorbed by that other dvantages and improvemen will pcutter or motor is reached. Accordingly, I drive D in th diseiOsurethe feed mechanism by means of an adjustable In he rawin Fi re 1 i a wiri i ram speed motor operating through reduction gearing showing the connections which actuate the feed of any desired ratio. motor in accordance with the power taken by For each of the motors driving a cutter, or the Spindle ThOtOTS- gang of cutters, I provide a wattmeter or ammeter Figure 2 s a f o w f the tat which for indicating the power input of that motor. regulates t speed of e feed meter- 30 Motors for driving cutters are commonly called Figure 3 is a Vertical section 01 ne 3-4 Of spindle motors. This wattmeter or ammeter not the Theostat, in Order to Show how the e t only indicates the power taken by the particuis actuated y e e rlar spindle motor to which it is connected, but i Fi ur 4 i a front w f the mm also adapted to operate control mechanism adapt- Referring to the drawings. 3 is the armature 5 ed to increase or to reduce the speed of the feed an auxiliary e Commonly termed a feed momotor. The number of wattmeters or ammeters tor which drives the feed mechanism of the maemployed is preferably equal to the number of chine. It is not deemed necessary to illustrate spindle motors. Each Wattmeter or ammeter is the machine or feed mechanism since these are 40 of the contact making type, having a moving already well known in the art. 40

contact positioned by the power or the current Motors 8a, I08a, and 208-a are spindle input of the motor to which it is connected, and motors which serve to drive milling cutters. It two adjustable cont-acts, one connected with a will be understood that as many o these motors relay for increasing the speed of the feed motor, as are desired may be used- The ers shown and the other connected with the contactor for are direct current motors, and the circuits shown 5 decreasing the speed of the feed motor. The poare proper for direct current motors. However, sition of the adjustable contacts of each instrualternating current motors may be used, and anymcnt may be independently adjusted, so that one skilled in the art may readily arrange equivone instrument may be set for a relatively great alent circuits suitable for use with alternating power or current input, while the contacts of current motors. The motors are supplied with 50 another may be set for a relatively small power power from lines A and B. Each motor is supor current input. The relays for increasing the plied with armature current through a switch speed of the feed motor are connected in series, I5, H5, or 2l5, which, for reasons which will apso that all of them must be energized before 'pear later, is, in the particular case chosen for p the contactor to which they are connected beillustration, 2. double throw triple pole switch.

hi .ge of each switch is-connected he cross line which runs to the and the center hinge of each cted to line B in the manner of these switches, as for inin the upper position, a cirfrom line A through the left and upper jaw of the switch, ture of motor M, through shunt the upper center jaw of the W- cm;

. ence to line B. The field circuit e opening of switch 23 renders the autodevices inoperative, and enables or to control the speed of feed mopush buttons 3| and 32 in 'bed later. 1

suits of the three motors ill, and 211. The termi- 3 connected to the terminals i8, H8, and 2|8. Either ammay be employed for the the power input of the rig an approximate meas- 5 give an exact meassr most circumstances, exact to give proper ers are therefore shown in ovided with a moving eledie Iii-a, ll8-a, or on is determined by the curthe armature of the motor, which the ammeter is connected. the right as the current to the left as the current diminciement is a contact or 2l8-b. The contact lB-b connected to the right hand tch l5, thence through the right re hand hinge, and thence Abba]. 23 to line A. The other contacts 2 -1 may be similarly connected to the right hand blades of switches It wiii be seen from the drawings and above dention that when any of the motors is enercd by the closingof its switch, the contact on needle of its ammeter is also energized from provided switch 23 is closed. If one of the file motors is deenergized by closing its switch s 2 lower position, as for example, switch i5, 9 lower right jaw of the switch is energized n line A through switch 23 and the right hand T nge and blade of switch l5. The lower center left jaws oi switches l5, l l5 and H5 are not connected to any circuit and have no function. lower right hand jaw of switch I5 is connected to relay 5| which is thus connected by the right hand blade of switch i5 to line A. Switches H5 and H5 act similarly. It will thus that each of the relays 5i, l5l and 25| is energized from line A when its associated mot-c, (Oil-c, or 208-a is deenergized. Consider motor 8a and amrneter I8 with the switch in the position to energize the motor and the contact iii-b of the ammeter. On one side of the needle iii-o is contact i9-b and on the other side is contact -h, whose positions may adjusted by means described later. lQ-b is connected with contactor 2! by line C so that wen contact l8-b touches contact I9b, con- 5 tactor 2! will be energized,

attached to arm and serves to revolve it in either direction according as field 25-a or 25-!) is energized. If it is desired to use the invention for other purposes, gearmotor 25 may serve to actuate any sort of member which it is desired to move for any useful purpose. Motor 25 is a series motor, having two fields wound in such ways as to produce opposite magneto-motive forces. 2| is a. contactor which when energized closes contacts 2l-a and opens contacts 2l b.

The closing of contacts 2l-a energizes motor 25 through field 25-11, the circuit running from A5 through contact 2l-a, series field 25-a and the armature of 25 to the connection B3, causing it to revolve the rheostat arm 25 in such a direction as to reduce the speed of motor 3.

22 is a contactor which, when energized, closes contacts 22-a and 22-c and opens contacts 22-b. Closing contacts 22a energizes motor 25 through field 25-27, the circuit being from A3 through contact 22--a, through series field 25-h, and the armature of motor 25 to B5, and causes it and rheostat arm 26 to revolve in such a direction as to increase the speed of motor 3.

It is desirable that when the power taken by any one of the spindle motors B-a, 108-4 or 208-a is too great, the feed shall be promptly reduced. On the other hand, if the power taken by all of these motors which happen to be energized by the closing of their respective switches i5, H5, or MS, falls off to the point where it is desirable to increase the feed, the feed should be increased gradually, so that the feed shall not suddenly become too great. In other words, it is desirable to move arm 25 rapidly in one direction and slowly in the other. Accordingly, I provide means for interrupting the current through motor 25 when contactor 22 is energized, in the following manner.

When contactor 22 is energized, thus closing contacts 22-c, contactor 52 will be energized from A4 to contacts 22-c through the coil 52 to B4, thus connecting lines A and B, which will open contacts 52-0. The opening of contacts 52a -deenergizes contactor 22 because it interrupts the circuit which is established from A5 through closed contacts 5l-a, l5l-a, 251-0, 52-a, 2!- b, the coil of contactor 22, line N, the rheostat ring 28, the normally closed button 30, the rheostat ring 28, connection D, the rheostat ring 31 and connection E to Bl, thus allowing contacts 22-a and 22-c to open, deenergizing both motor 25 and contactor 52. Motor 25 is deenergized because of the opening of contacts 22-a. through the circuit already described. Contactor 52 is deenergized because of the opening of contacts 22-0, through the circuit already described. Contactor 52, however, does not close immediately since it is of a type in which the flux decays slowly. By adjusting the tension of the'spring which closes the contacts, the time interval between the deenergizing of the coil and the closing of the contacts can be varied in a manner already well known in the art. Accordingly, contacts 52-a are delayed in their closing, and contactor 22 is deenergized for a longer time interval than the interval during which it was previously energized. Consequently, although contactor 2| acts continually to energize motor 25 so long as the circuit between 2! and line A is uninterrupted, contactor 22 acts only for an instant to energize motor 25 when the circuit between 22 and line A is uninterrupted. The elements which move the needles of the ammeters are arranged in the manner usual in the art, so that the indications of the needles are approximately determined by the power inputs of the associated motors, the needles moving further to the right as the power inputs increase.

The ammeter which I use has elements additional to those usually used in ammeters, in order that the indication of the ammeter may be used to control the rate of feed.

On the needle of the ammeter, and insulated from the remainder of the mechanism, is a double faced contact I6-b. To the right of the needle is an arm I9 which can be turned about a point at or near the pivot of the ammeter needle by means of knob l9a. On the arm is contact l9-b which is capable of making contact with contact l8--b on the ammeter needle l8a when it has moved sufiiciently to the right.

To the left of the ammeter needle is arm 20 which is turned about a point at or near the pivot of the needle by knob 20--a, and carries contact 20--b which is also capable of making contact with. the contact l3b on the needle when the needle moves sufficiently to the left. The angular positions of arms l9 and 20 may be adjusted manually so the ammeter needle I8 will always lie between any desired limits, the difference between its extreme positions being large or small, according to the adjustment.

As already explained, the needle contact I6!) is connected to line A in the manner shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, through the switch 23, the opening of which makes the device inoperative. I

The feed motor 3 is supplied with field current and also with armature current through a rheostat shown diagrammatically in Figure 1, which is operated by a gearmotor 25. Gearmotor 25 is a series motor having a split field. One part of the field causes the armature to revolve in one direction and the other part of the field causes the armature to revolve in the other direction. The output shaft 34 of the gearmotor, which rotates at a relatively slow rate of speed, such as one revolution in ten seconds, is attached to the handle 26 of the rheostat for the purpose of turning it. The rheostat connections are arranged in such a way that as 26 rotates through one semiclrcumference of the rheostat, it increases or diminishes the field current of the feed motor, while the armature voltage remains at its maximum,and as it rotates through the other semi-circumference of the rheostat it diminishes or increases the armature voltage of the feed motor, while the field current remains at its maximum. By this means, any reasonable speed, as for instance from 450 to 1800 R. P. M., may be obtained by field control of the feed motor, and lower speeds, as for instance between 200 and 450 R. P. M., by armature control of the feed motor.

Referring to the feed motor 3 and the controlling rheostat with handle 26, the direction of ro tation of the gearmotor is made such that when field 25a is energized, its shaft 34 turns handle 26 in a clockwise direction, which increases the speed of feed motor 3.- When field 25b is energized, handle 26 turns in a counter clockwise direction, which reduces the speed of feed motor 3. The connections between the motor and the rheostat are as follows:

With handle 26 in the position shown, the armature of motor 3 is energized from A2 through contact 24b, the armature of motor 3, line G, rheostat contact 43, connection H, rheostat ring 40, rheostat brush 35, rheostat ring 4|, connection J, rheostat ring 31, and connection E, to Bl. Contacts 24b are closed, starting motor 3, when contactor 24 is energized by momentarily pressing button l6, which closes a circuit from Al through button I6, through the coil of 24, through normally closed button l6a, to B2. The closing of contacts 24a. which occurs when 24 is energized, closes a holding circuit from A2 through contacts 24a. through line K, through the coil of 24, and through normally closed button [6a, to B2. 24a and 241) then remain closed until button i6a is pressed, which opens the holding circuit and allows contactor 24 to open, stopping motor 3.

The field 3F of motor 3 is energized from A2 through contacts 242) to the field of motor 3, thence through line L- 'to rheostat contact 38.

From rheostat contact 38, the current flows through successive resistances 39 until it reaches one of the rheostat contacts touching the brush 36, thence to rheostat ring 31, which is connected by line E to Bl. revolves clockwise, the resistance in the circuit of field 3F will be increased, and motor 3 will run faster, giving a faster feed. If it is revolved counterclockwise, the resistance in the circuit of the field 3F will be diminished until handle 26 is in a horizontal position, pointing to the left, when all of the resistance in the field circuit will be cut out.

If the handle continues to revolve in a counterclockwise direction, brush 35 will pass from seg ment 40 to segment 44, and brush 36 will pass from field resistance contacts. ,38 to armature resistance contacts 43. The field circuit will then be completed from A2, through'24b, through 3F, line L, field resistance contact 38, line M, rheostat segment 44, brush 35, rheostat ring 4|, line J, rheostat ring 31, and line E, to BI. The armature circuit will be completed from A2, through 2417, armature 3, line G, armature rheostat contact 43, a series of armature rheostat resistances 42, a second armature rheostat contact, brush 35, rheostat ring 31, and line E, to Bl. As 25 com tinues to revolve in a counterclockwise direction, more and more ofthe armature resistance 42 will be placed in the armature circuit, the field resistance remaining at its minimum, and motor 3 will run more and more slowly.

On a pair of conducting rings 28 and 29 is mounted an adjustable limit switch 3!] which can be moved about shaft 34 in contact with rings 28 and 29, and which will be touched by the handle 26 of the rheostat whenever the latter has moved sufficiently in a clockwise direction. This limit switch 30 is adjusted by the operator for whatever maximum feed may be suitable for the work in hand. The posit-ion of switch 30 determines the max'mum rate of feed at which the machine will operate. This limit switch 30 is opened whenever the rheostat handle presses the button, and so opens the circuit through contactor 22.

The method by which this limit switch 30 functions is as follows:

The circuit from Bl through line E, conducting rheostat ring 31. connection D, rheostat ring 28, runs through button 30, thence through rheostat It will be seen that if handle 26 Y ring 29 thence through line N, the coil of contactor 22, to contact Hi), to contact 52a, to contact 25in. to contact 15m, to contact Slo and thence to A6. Since opening switch 30 breaks this cir- 3 cuit, 22 will be deenergized. The opening of contacts 22a deenergizes motor 25 and field coil 5?). The motor will therefore no longer rotate handle 26 in a clockwise direction.

Button El is a fixed push button, which, when in handle 26 has revolved in a counterclockwise direction to its limiting position, is opened by the handle. This opens the circuit running from El through line E rheostat ring 31, connection D, normally closed button 21, line P, contact 22b l.) the coil of relay 2!, line C to contacts I92). I19?) and 2l8'o which are in parallel, and are energized from line A in the manner which has already been described. It button 21 is opened, breaking this circuit will deenergize relay 2|, contact 2m. deenergizing motor 25 and id coil 25a which stops the movement of the hole in the counterclockwise direction.

When automatic operation is not desired, switch it opened. deenergizing the left hand s, blades and jaws of each of the switches, and thereby .t it impossible to energize re- 's it. lfil, and 25! and also impossible to encr- S-ince relays 5 l5l and 25! cannot ed, contactor 22 cannot be energized. it cannot energized. In order to ed, which involves the changing of rotor 3, buttons number 31 and 32 If it is desired to reduce the ally c secl contacts 22b, and line P, to buthence as previously described. If 2, i "heady opened, because of the posie 26, the circuit will not be com I be energized.

c circuit through the ieted. handle 26 long button 3i is d to increase feed, button 32 completing a circuit from A6 through ton 32, normally closed contacts Zlb. the coil of contactor 22, and line N, to ring 29, to button If button 30 is closed, the remainder of the uit to B5 will be completed as previously deed, c .ctor 22 will be energized, energizing r 25 through field coil 25b as previously de- 7 cause handle 26 to move in a If, however, button 30 is open c position of handle 26. the circuit through contactor 22 will not be comand 25 will not be energized.

Contacts 2 lb and 22b are safety contacts which prevent simultaneous energization of relay (in 2i and contactor 22, which would result in en ergizing motor 25 through both fields, thus causing a. short circuit. If relay 2| is energized, it is impossible to energize coil 22. Conversely if contactor 22 is energized, it is impossible to energize it) coil 2i.

When the current in any one of the motors 8-n, lOE-c, or 208-a reaches the maximum value for which the contact elements of its assoeiated ammeter are set, the needle of that amo meter will move to the right sufilciently to touch contact i917. H91), or 2191), as the case may be. In doing so, it energizes contactor 2i, closing contacts ll-a and opening contacts 2Ib. When contacts 2lb open, the circuit previously 7: existing from A6 through contacts 5la, l5la,

25la. 52a. 21b, the coil of 22, the rheostat ring 29, the normally closed button 30, the rhcostat ring 28, connection D, rheostat ring 31, and connection E, to BI is interrupted. This makes it impossible to then energize contactor 22. The closing of the contacts 21a establishes a circuit from A5 through 2la. series field 25a, and the armature of motor 25, to B3, which energizes motor 25 through field 25-a, causing the rheostat arm 26 to move in such a direction as to reduce the speed of motor 3, either by strengthening its field or by reducing the voltage of the armature current, or by doing both.

Let us assume that switches i5 and H5 are in position to energize motors 8-(1 and 108-0 and that switch H5 is in the lower position. In such acase, relay 251 is energized from line A, through switch 23, the right-hand blade and lower jaw of switch 2l5, through line F, through the coil of switch 25l, and thence to B5, thus closing contacts 25|a. If now motors 8-a and IOU-4i are both taking less current than the contacts 20-h and l20b have been set for, the ammeter needles will move to the left, contact l8--b will touch contact 20-h, energizing relay 5|, and contact ll8--b will touch contact l20-b, energizing relay I5l. Contacts 5|a and l5l-a will thus be closed, and since contacts 25l-a are already closed, a circuit will be formed from line A through contacts 5l-a, l5 l-a, 25l-a, 52-a and 2l--b to energize contactor 22, which in turn energizes motor 25 through field 25-?) as has already been explained, thus increasing the speed of feed motor 3.

It will be seen that unless both of the energized motors are taking less current than their respective ammeter contacts are set for, motor 25 will not act to speed up motor 3. since if any one of the three relays 5|, I51, and 25l is. deenergized. contactor 22 cannot be energized. Thus it will be seen that the speed of feed motor 3 will be decreased whencver any of the spindle motors is receiving more current than that for which its ammeter is adjusted, and that its speed will not be increased unless all of the spindle motors receiving current are taking less current than that for which their respective ammeters are adjusted.

By this means, I have arranged so that the feed is always that which will not overload any of the motors or of the cutters, and is always increased whenever all of the motors or cutters are underloaded.

It will be seen that in general, I have provided a means whereby the current input or the power input of each of a number of motors may be used to control jointly either the position of an object, such as the arm 26 of the rheostat, or the speed of a motor, such as motor 3.

Having described my invention, I wish to claim all those forms which fall within the scope of the appended claims:

1. In combination, a plurality of electric motors, a plurality of electrical instruments, one for each motor, each having a moving element adapted to be actuated by the current input of its associated motor, an auxiliary motor, means for controlling the speed of the auxiliary motor, a moveable member f or actuating the means for controL ling the speed of the auxiliary motor, a reversible power means adapted to move the moveable member, a first control means adapted to be energized by any of the moving elements and to energize the reversible power means for movement in one direction, and a second control means adapted to be actuated by the simultaneous action of all of mil the moving elements and to energize the reversible power means for movement in the other direction.

2. In combination, a plurality of spindle motors, a plurality of electrical instruments, one for each motor, each having a moving element adapted to be actuated by the power input of its associated motor, an auxiliary motor, controller means for controlling the speed of the auxiliary motor, reversible power means adapted to actuate the controller means, a first control means adapted to be energized by any of the moving elements and to energize the reversible power means for movement in one direction, a second control means adapted when energized to energize the reversible power means for movement in the other direction, and a plurality of 'relays, one adapted to be actuated by each of the moving elements, and having their contacts connected in series, for energizing the second. control means.

3. In a milling machine, a plurality of spindle motors, an adjustable speed feed motor, a rheostat for controlling the speed of the feed motor,

a reversible motor for operating the rheostat, a plurality of wattmeters, one for each spindle motor, each having a moving element to indicate the power input of its ,associated spindle motor, a plurality of moving contacts, one on the moving element of each wattmeter, a plurality of first ad-. justable contacts, one for each wattmeter, each adapted to be touched by its associated moving contact when the moving element is moved sufficiently by an increase in the power input of its spindle motor, a plurality of second adjustable contacts, one for each wattmeter, each adapted to be touched by its moving contact when the moving element is moved sufilciently by a reduction in the power input of its spindle motor, control means adapted to be energized from any of the first adjustable contacts when touched by its associated moving contact, for energizing the reversible motor in one direction, a plurality of relays, each adapted to be energized from its associated second adjustable contact when touched by its moving contact, and control means adapted to be energized when all of the relays are energized for energizing the reversible motor for movement in the other direction.

4. In combination, a plurality of electric motors, a plurality of electrical instruments, one for each motor, each having a moveable element adapted to be positioned by the power input of its motor, a plurality of first contacts, one for each moving element, each adapted to be energized by its moving element when the position-of the moving element is changed by an increase in the power input of its motor, a plurality of second contacts, one for each moving element, each adapted to be energized by its moving element when the position of the moving element is changed by a decrease in the power input of its motor, control means adapted to be energized when any one of the first contacts is energized, and other control means'adapted to be energized when all of the second contacts are energized.

5. In combination, an electrical motor, an electrical instrument having a moveable element adapted to be positioned by the power input of the motor, a first contact adapted to be energized by the moving element when the position of the moving element is changed by an increase in the power input of its motor, a first control means adapted to be energized when the first contact is energized, a second contact adapted to be energized by the moving element when the position of the moving element is changed by a decrease in the power input of the motor, a second control means adapted to be energized when the second contact is energized, and means for intermittently deenergizing the second control means while the second contact is energized.

6. In combination, a spindle motor, an electrical instrument having a moving element adapted to be actuated by the power input of the spindle motor, an auxiliary motor, controller means for controlling the speed of the auxiliary motor, reversible power means adapted to actuate the controller means, a first control means adapted to be energized by the moving element and to energize the reversible power means for movement in one direction, and a second control means adapted to be energized by the moving element and to energize the reversible power' means intermittently for movement in the other direction. I

7. In combination, an electric motor, an electrical instrument having a moving element adapted to be actuated by the current input of the motor, an auxiliary motor, means for controlling the speed of the auxiliary motor, a moveable member for actuating the means for controlling the speed of the auxiliary motor, a reversible power means adapted to move the moveable member, a first control means adapted to be energized by the moving element and to energize the reversible power means for rapid movement in one direction, and a second control means adapted to be actuated by the moving element and to energize the reversible power means for slow movement in the other direction.

8. In combination, a plurality of electrical motors, a plurality of moving elements one for each motor and each adapted to be actuated by the power input of its associated motor, an adjustable speed auxiliary motor, and means for speed adjustment adapted to be actuated by the moving elements and to adjust the speed of the auxiliary motor.

9. In combination, a plurality of electrical motors, a plurality of moving elements one for each motor and each adapted to be actuated by the power input of its associated motor, an adjustable speed auxiliary motor, and means for speed adjustment adapted to be actuated for decreasing the speed of the auxiliary motor when .any one oi the moving elements is moved to one limit by an increase in the power of its associated motor, and adaptedto be actuated for increasing the speed of the auxiliary motor when all 01' the moving elements have been moved to the other limit by a decrease in the power input of their associated motors.

JOHN E. DORAN. 

